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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. degree — from a university
  3. track — a song
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. track — to keep track
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. firm — a company
  16. degree — an amount
  17. drill — army training
  18. track — a path
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. firm — steady
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bat — the animal
  24. firm — decided

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com